Saturday, May 08, 2010

Red Sox fans have about had it with Daisuke Matsuzake. After an injury plagued 2009 season - a season in which Dice-K's conditioning was in question - the Japanese import is 1-1 with a 9.90 ERA.

Fans outside of Boston may not understand the frustration Red Sox fans have with a guy who just 2 seasons ago was 18-3 with a 2.90 ERA. Teams would love to have a guy like that right? Here's the two main reasons the frustration exists:

- Dice-K is a tight rope walker. The year he won 18 games it was not uncommon for Dice-K to walk the bases full, then strike out two batters and then get a fly ball out. Seriously. People were cracking jokes about Dice-K only feeling comfortable with the bases loaded. If a few of those fly balls turned into Texas-leaguers then suddenly he's 12-12 with a 4.10 ERA. Take the other night for example. In the first inning there was a grounder that was 50/50 being a double play. If it is a double play then he's out of the inning with just one run surrendered. He probably gets the win with 2 earned runs for the night. Instead he gave up 4 runs that inning and 5 for the night BUT STILL GOT THE W! Boston fans have enough drama in their lives. They don't need a tightrope walker in their lives to add more seemingly self-created drama.

- If the Red Sox are going to have a guy who can either throw a shutout or bomb completely - the fans would prefer that guy be Tim Wakefield. It's really that simple. Wakefield is a hard working old guy who does more community service than anyone on the team. Dice-K is taking Wake's spot in the rotation. Many fans aren't happy with that.

If anyone can sympathize with this situation it will probably be Philly fans. In 4 seasons with the Red Sox - Daisuke is 38-22 with a 4.14 ERA. In 5 seasons with the Phillies - Cole Hamels 50-36 with a 3.70 ERA. In both cases the numbers don't tell the story. Maybe the two teams could trade tightrope walkers?